Top picks for Resume Writing (2026)
Polished, role-targeted CVs. Ranked from 333 live models on the OpenRouter catalog, weighted for reasoning quality, low cost.
| # | Model | Score | In / 1M | Out / 1M | Context | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anthropic: Claude Sonnet 4.6anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 | 121 | $3.00 | $15.00 | 1,000,000 | Details → |
| 2 | MoonshotAI: Kimi K2.6moonshotai/kimi-k2.6 | 120 | $0.67 | $3.39 | 262,144 | Details → |
| 3 | OpenAI: GPT-5openai/gpt-5 | 120 | $1.25 | $10.00 | 400,000 | Details → |
| 4 | OpenAI: o3openai/o3 | 120 | $2.00 | $8.00 | 200,000 | Details → |
| 5 | Google: Gemini 3.1 Pro Previewgoogle/gemini-3.1-pro-preview | 119 | $2.00 | $12.00 | 1,048,576 | Details → |
| 6 | OpenAI: GPT-5.4openai/gpt-5.4 | 119 | $2.50 | $15.00 | 1,050,000 | Details → |
| 7 | DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Prodeepseek/deepseek-v4-pro | 119 | $0.43 | $0.87 | 1,048,576 | Details → |
| 8 | DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Flashdeepseek/deepseek-v4-flash | 119 | $0.10 | $0.20 | 1,048,576 | Details → |
| 9 | MoonshotAI: Kimi K2.5moonshotai/kimi-k2.5 | 119 | $0.35 | $1.89 | 262,144 | Details → |
| 10 | Qwen: Qwen3.5 397B A17Bqwen/qwen3.5-397b-a17b | 119 | $0.39 | $2.34 | 262,144 | Details → |
| 11 | xAI: Grok 4.20x-ai/grok-4.20 | 118 | $1.25 | $2.50 | 2,000,000 | Details → |
| 12 | OpenAI: o4 Miniopenai/o4-mini | 118 | $1.10 | $4.40 | 200,000 | Details → |
| 13 | Qwen: Qwen3.7 Plusqwen/qwen3.7-plus | 118 | $0.32 | $1.28 | 1,000,000 | Details → |
| 14 | MiniMax: MiniMax M3minimax/minimax-m3 | 118 | $0.30 | $1.20 | 1,048,576 | Details → |
| 15 | OpenAI: GPT-5.2openai/gpt-5.2 | 118 | $1.75 | $14.00 | 400,000 | Details → |
How we ranked these
For Resume Writing, we weight models on reasoning quality, low cost. Scores combine each model's public specs with independent benchmark results (Aider Polyglot coding scores, Artificial Analysis intelligence/coding/agentic indices) and live pricing. See full methodology →
About Resume Writing
Resume writing is the task of creating or refining a CV that matches a specific role, industry, and job description. You need this when applying to competitive positions where generic CVs fail, or when you lack the language to articulate technical skills and achievements. Good models restructure bullet points for impact, mirror job description keywords without lying, and maintain professional tone across sections. Poor models produce generic templates, inflate claims, or miss role-specific requirements. The main trade-off: Claude and GPT-4 produce higher-quality output but cost more per use than faster models like GPT-3.5, though the difference is typically under $0.10 per resume.
When to use: Use this when you're applying to a specific job and need to tailor your CV to match the role, or when you want to rewrite weak bullet points into achievement-focused statements that will pass both human and ATS (applicant tracking system) screening.
Common questions
Which AI model produces the most ATS-friendly resume formatting?
Claude 3.5 Sonnet and GPT-4 both handle ATS compliance well, but Claude excels at maintaining clean structure and keyword integration without overselling. GPT-4 is faster if you're batch-processing multiple resume versions. Test both with your target job description to see which keyword placement strategy works best for your industry.
How much does it cost to have an AI rewrite an entire resume?
Most rewrites cost $0.05 to $0.15 using GPT-4 or Claude, depending on resume length and revision depth. For unlimited rewrites and multiple role versions, a ChatGPT Plus subscription ($20/month) offers better value than per-use API costs.